Periodontitis in metabolic syndrome

The aim of this study is to investigate the systemic impact of periodontitis in patients with Metabolic Syndrome, by assessing measures of sub-clinical atherosclerosis and cardiovascular risk, microbial factors and host genetic variants, and to study the possible effect of mediators of inflammation and oxidative stress as links between the two conditions. This is a cross-sectional study. Patients with metabolic syndrome will be recruited and will have periodontal and dental examination for diagnosis of caries and periodontal diseases. They will undergo blood, saliva, GCF and subgingival plaque sampling and a series of tests on cardiovascular disease, including measures of pulse-wave velocity, carotid intima-media thickness and echocardiography assessment.